Pieces of Summer

“Finally something other than the gutter,” I say, feeling the toes of my shoes nudge his shins.

“Gutter whore,” he jokes, reminding me of the days when we were younger and he’d call me that after I hit the gutter once or twice.

“Asshole,” I mutter, unable to come up with something wittier.

“You want a drink?” he asks me, shifting me a little.

“Water,” I tell him, but he doesn’t put me down and I make no move to let go. After a few more minutes, he clears his throat and slowly lowers me to the ground.

He bends and presses his lips to my forehead, a chaste action that wouldn’t do much for anyone else. But my heart hammers my chest in reaction to the simple, sweet gesture.

When he walks away, I turn around, and immediately feel my stomach sink when I see Whit sitting and staring straight ahead with her back to me. Her shoulders are hunched, her body is tense, and I feel like an absolute ass.

I go to sit beside her, and she gives me a weak smile before turning back to face the lanes.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking,” I say quietly.

She laughs humorlessly. “Don’t apologize, Mika. I think I finally understand something I didn’t fully comprehend until this moment.”

“That I’m an insensitive bitch who shouldn’t have been hugging a guy I used to date in front of you so soon after your breakup?” I ask, hating myself.

She exhales heavily. “No. I realized he was never mine. He was always yours. I’ve never seen him laugh like he has tonight. I’ve never seen him smile so much. I’ve sure as hell never seen him watch

anyone the way he watches you… As though the universe hangs in the balance of your every move. I was so worried he was going to break you. Now all I can think about is how easily you could break him.”

My heart clenches in my chest, but she just smiles before standing up. “I think it’s time for me to leave you two alone. It seems like you have a lot of catching up to do.” I start to speak, but she turns around before I can. “Oh, and one quick question. Do you care if I see your brother again? Really wouldn’t mind a round two or three with him.”

Gross.

“Aidan can date whoever he wants. I’ve never interfered. And I would give you a glowing recommendation if he asked my opinion.”

She flashes a genuine smile at me before winking and walking away, drawing the attention of almost every man in here on her way out. But Chase doesn’t even notice her when she passes him. He’s too busy staring directly at me as he makes his way back with two bottles of water.

What the hell am I doing?

Chapter 27

CHASE

Mika’s couch is great, but I’m sick of sleeping on it. No way am I sleeping in her dad’s room. No way am I sleeping in Aidan’s room either. I miss the days we’d curl up on a blanket in the sunroom and sleep the night away.

The floor wouldn’t be as nice to my adult body as it was my teenage one, but just the thought of holding her in that room…

So much for closure. I feel like I’m sinking all over again. I don’t even know why I bother fighting it anymore. Mika isn’t ready to give up the fight though. Can’t say I blame her.

It’s early as fuck and I’m wide awake with the boner from hell. Mika spent the night hugging me like she hasn’t had affection in years, and I spent the night in pain. As much as I love her touching me like she’s missed the feeling, the fact she’s not pushing for more is painful, considering my dick refuses to understand she just wants to be friends.

Reaching over, I grab some of her girly lotion from the small table, and decide to take matters into my own hands. Maybe I can get some more sleep and get rid of the urge to hump the fucking couch like a horny teenager.

After checking the room, I push my boxers off, and close my lotion-covered hand over my cock, pumping up and down and imagining it’s Mika riding me the way she used to.

Only I imagine her now, with her curves and long hair.

With each pump of my hand, I picture the way her eyelids would grow heavy and the way her lips would part to breathe my name. And her green eyes… She’d always stare directly into my eyes as I came, and then she’d work for her own release, because I had no fucking clue what I was doing back then.

Her mouth… Fuck I loved her mouth. She was my first everything—first kiss, first blowjob, first hand job, first fuck… Only love. And I stared into those green eyes every time I could keep my own eyes open.

Those green eyes that are staring at me right fucking now and wide with horror as I continue pumping my cock. When the hell did she come in here?